Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Adorable owl befriends dragon in outstanding fantasy tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
A fluffy owl's one wish is to become a knight. He goes to Knight School and graduates "with honor, as knights do." He's assigned to Knight Night Watch atop the castle and keeps his eyes out for danger. When a hungry dragon lands on the castle wall near him, the tiny KNIGHT OWL talks the giant dragon out of eating him by offering him a more substantial alternative -- pizza! Then he points out how much they have in common: They both hatched from eggs, can fly, and like the night. They become friends, and the castle is safe.
Is It Any Good?
This delightful story of courage and unlikely friendship has great art and an irresistible main character. Knight Owl creates a rich medieval setting filled with period details and a bit of wordplay (starting with the pun in the title). Big changes in perspective in the digital illustrations help build page-turning suspense. And the story as a whole, with its night sky and glowing fires, has the warm glow of a classic. It's an excellent read-aloud, while at the same time, the pictures help tell the story so well, it could almost work without the text. Knight Owl is truly a gem.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the main character in Knight Owl. What makes him so appealing? Is it how he looks in the illustrations? Is it how he acts to solve his dragon problem? What makes you root for him?
Size doesn't seem to matter when it comes to being a knight in this story. Were you surprised that the Knight Owl had so much courage when facing a much bigger opponent? How did he use his brain to get out of trouble?
What's fun about stories that take place in the time of knights, castles, and dragons? Would you liked to have lived back then? What was harder then? Is there anything you think was better then?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Christopher Denise
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Christy Ottaviano Books
- Publication date : March 15, 2022
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Awards : Caldecott Medal and Honors , Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : December 3, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate